Vaccine Alliance launched to boost childhood vaccination rates

A new Vaccine Alliance has been set up aiming to boost the uptake of childhood vaccines and reducing vaccine hesitancy.

It includes healthcare professionals, policy makers, patient advocates, students and others.

Minister for Health Simon Harris said that vaccination rates across the country were falling and diseases consigned to the history books are now making a comeback.

He said the alliance would build on the success with the HPV vaccine where rates have increased from 51% to 70% in a short period.

The Department of Health said research conducted to help inform the work of the alliance found that the overwhelming majority of research participants believed that vaccinating their child was extremely important.

But it also found that some parents have genuine concerns about the use of vaccinations.

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